Largo Di Torre Argentina; A Sacred Place

There is a bus stop in Rome, in the area known in antiquity as Campus Martius or Field of Mars, as busy as the bus stop at the Colosseum. It is as unattractive a bus stop as you can find anywhere in any busy metropolis, surrounded as you are with people, the ever present smell of gasoline  and the swirling eddies of dust brought on the wheels of buses. I stopped at this bus stop countless times, seeing but not "really seeing" the ruins in front. I think many people fail to notice these ruins because they are hurrying to board a bus or frantically searching for the right bus to board.

 

 

If this were not Rome, this ruin would be a showcase, with the history attached to it, but being in Rome, Largo de Torre Argentina is just one of the many excavation sites. In ancient times, this place was a holy place (area sacra), where four temples were clustered together.

This site was discovered in the time of Mussolini, who had ordered demolition work in the site to build a new building. The 4 temples were built between the 4th and 2nd century. But for a long time not much was known about these temples and were simply given letters to distinguish the four of them. Looking at what remains today, it is difficult to envision what they looked like in their heyday, however, one can distinguish the outlines with the help of the site map.

The temples were built by victorious generals in celebration and thanksgiving. Temple A is now known as the Temple of Juturna.

The circular temple or Temple B is known as "The Fortune of This Day".

It was dedicated to the Goddess of Fortune, parts of whose colossal statue was found on the site and is now displayed in the Capitoline Museum.

Goddess of Fortune

Temple C is the oldest of the temples and was most probably built to honor Feronia, a roman deity.

Temple D is still partially buried and there is no consensus among archaeologists as to whose temple this is.

Behind Temple B and D was located the wall of the Curia of the Porticus of the theater of Pompey, where Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March. Later on, during the imperial age this was converted into a "monumental latrine", a fanciful name! I wonder if every year at the Ides of March Caesar makes an appearance to protest this construction! 

Imperial toilets under the arches

Apparently today on these sacred grounds, stray cats roam freely as this site is supposedly a sanctuary for homeless cats. However, on my visit I didn't see a single one!

 

Ravenna; City of Mosaics

My three sisters and I took a mosaic making course in the City of Ravenna, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site, primarily because of it's unique collection of early Christian mosaics and monuments.

Basilica of San Vitale

From being the seat of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, Ravenna became a Gothic Kingdom when conqured by the Ostrogoths, who were in turn driven out by Justinian I, who made Ravenna the seat of the Byzantine Empire in Italy. At this time Europe was in the midst of what came to be called it's Dark Ages, Ravenna however was at the pinnacle of it's influence and power.  It was at this time that most of the churches and monuments designated as Unesco Heritage sites were built.


Ravenna is called the City of Mosaics for good reason, becoming the center of mosaic making in the 6th century when it became the seat of the Byzantine Empire. Today, it's greatest attraction is its collection of mosaic masterpieces found in its churches and mausoleums. Because of her ties with the Byzantine Empire, Ravenna is believed to have the finest Byzantine mosaics outside of Istanbul.



Mosaic of the palace of Justinian I in the  Basilica of San't Appolinare

Most of the early churches like the Basilica of San Vitale are covered with brilliant, glittering mosaics, the intervening centuries seeming not to have changed them in any way.

 

The Mausoleum of Galla Placida is a rather plain brick structure with small windows on the outside. Therefore, one is unprepared for what is inside.

When I walked in, my eyes needed to adjust to the rather dim interior due to the fact that the small openings were covered in alabaster (a type of fine grained, translucent white mineral which are usually made into vases, statues etc). But once adjusted, my eyes were immediately drawn upward to a starry night sky, a lovely mosaic on the vault of the mausoleum! Beautiful! And then the assault on the senses, from all sides, figures, stars, flowers, geometric designs and color, and more color, it was an awe-inspiring sight! 



Starry sky

 Alongside these ancient structures and monuments, one can also see the tomb of Dante Alighieri, author of the Divine Comedy and one of Italy's supreme poets. He died in Ravenna in 1321, having been exiled from Florence. His remains were never returned to Florence, the Ravenans refused to give him up, saying that Florence "did not welcome him in life, so she did not deserve him in death."

Dante's Tomb

Ravenna's city center is compact and is generally car free. Free use of bicycles parked around the city makes it a popular mode of transportation for those who can navigate cobbled stone streets. We preferred to walk. Signs are prominently displayed so it is not difficult to find your way.

Because there was an evening mass, just as our mosaic classes ended, we would attend mass which would finish just as the restaurants opened their doors for dinner. The number of people attending mass could be counted on 1 hand (excluding us the 4 sisters). The masses were said in a small side chapel. Sunday mass was not much better attended, and most of them were middle-aged or elderly. And to think we were in Italy!

 

Basilica where we attended mass

 

Entry into the older part of the city was through an archway.

 

 

 

The side streets are narrow, the buildings painted in different hues of beige and terra cota.

The shops are small, mostly specialty shops, gellaterias (ice cream), macellerias (butcher), panetteria (bakery), enoteca (wine) and the ever present tabacchi (tobacco store, Italians are still heavy smokers). There are also souvenir shops and not to be missed, the colorful mosaic supply store selling smalti, millefiore, tiles and whatever else one needs to make a mosaic.

 

 

 

Ravenna's charm also captivates with simple but unforgettable sites like these cattails guarding an entrance to an apartment complex.

 

 

 



And this bush found in the courtyard of a basilica.

 

 

And as a reminder of it's glorious mosaic making history, modern mosaics with a sense of humor!

 

Leaking water floor mosaic in a bathroom



And in the park, a three dimensional mosaic of a bench with a forgotten coat. This one was done by Lucianno Noturnni, a world renowned mosaicist, whose school we attended.

 

 

 

Now, about the food! What can I say? I love Italian food for so many reasons, but most of all, I think because of it's simplicity, no heavy sauces, just enough to enhance the pasta or the meat. My Siennese friend says Italian cooking evolved mainly from peasant food, using fresh, limited ingredients. Cheese, ham and wine are mainstays in my friends kitchen and his pasta, well he buys it from a local store in Sienna, no packaged pasta for him and all Italians (so he says!)

 

We ate in many family owned restaurants when we were in Ravenna, but on the last day we decided to eat at a highly recommended restaurant Ca' de Ven. Ambiance was fantastic, wine was excellent. Food, well most of what we ate while in Ravenna could compare.

 

Ristorante Ca' de Ven





 

Mercato Esquilino

One of the things my husband and I enjoy doing is going to the market. Not only is produce cheaper and fresher, but of more interest, the people you see and interact with, the locals, the regular folk. For a moment there, you become a witness to an aspect of their everyday lives, what they buy, how much they pay, the favorite stall, the suki (stall owner) who knows every client, and of course, the haggling.

 

Everywhere we have lived or visited, we have always made it a point to explore and if time permitted, shop at a local market. Rome was no exception. In Rome, we frequented the Mercato Esquilino.

 

 

This market is located in the Esquiline neighborhood, one of Rome's original neighborhoods, atop the Esquiline hill, one of Ancient Rome's famed 7 hills. The market is very close to the Termini Station and very near Piazza Vittoria, the center of Esquilino. The neighborhood is  a multicultural melange.

 

When we first asked for directions to this market, people in my husband's office were unable to help us since none of them ever went to this market. It seemed like this market catered to a certain "class" of people and foreigners like us (who didn't know better?) The first time we went, I was thrilled because to me this area, Termini, and this market seemed to recreate Ancient Rome's Suburra!

 

It was crowded, crowded with people of different nationalities, ethnicities and even religion. There were Italians, of course, Russians, Eastern Europeans, Asians, Africans and Arabs. Religion? Well, some nuns were buying enough meat and vegetable to feed a congregation, and I also saw a stall selling "halal" meat.

 

one of my "sukis"

 

Because of the diversity of it's clientele, one sees some strange food items here, like a goat's head complete with the eyeballs in one of my favorite stalls.

 

 

And also an abundance of the innards of cow, sheep, or pig.

 

 

My Chinese husband would go crazy buying, tripe and tendon and heart. He told me once that the Chinese don't waste anything, they eat every part of every animal! (Now, that is a story for another day!)

 

The wet market, selling fish is in another section. Here we were able to buy all kinds of fish, some we were familiar with, others not so much. A favorite of ours was the Sea Bass which we cooked like they do in Rome, baked in salt.

 

 

There is also an abundance of shell fish:

 



Oh my!

In the dry section, fruits and vegetables galore.

 

 



 

Also mushrooms, olives, dates, nuts and of course baccala!

 

 

Another section of the market that one cannot fail to notice is the spices section. Here, the air is redolent with the smell of different spices.

 

And different types of rice, beans, lentils and other legumes.

 

Another very interesting thing about this market are the stalls. As the Esquilino has morphed into an immigrant neighborhood, you find stalls catering to specific ethnic groups, selling specialized items, catering to the diverse needs of these immigrants. A true testament to Rome's evolution into a multicultural city.

 

"Pinoy Store"

Bangladeshi Store

 

 

Beside the wet market, there is an area with a nice garden, where one can have a snack or a cup of coffee before heading home.



 

As for the haggling, this was carried on in a jovial, light hearted sort of way, not at all like the hardcore haggling one may see in Asian markets. 

 

Churches of Rome: Basilica of Sta. Maria degli Angeli dei Martiri, A Most Interesting Church

One of the most interesting church I visited in Rome, which does not make it to many tourists's must see list (judging by the small numbers visiting the church) is the Basilica of Sta. Maria degli Angeli dei Martiri, which owes it's existence, according to it's history, to a dream of a Sicilian priest, of angels floating over the ruins of the ancient Baths of Diocletian

 

 

 

Nothing unusual here, as many churches in Rome claim to have been built because of dreams or signs from the Divine. But this church is unique in many ways. First of all it's facade looks nothing like a church since it was incorporated into the brick work of the ancient Baths of Diocletian. This church used to be the frigidarium, the cold baths portion of one of ancient Rome's most famous public baths.

Then as entrance, you have two huge bronze doors, one of them with a half encased human figure hanging in suspended animation, (shades of Han Solo encased in carbonite)! This door, one of the more recent renovations and works of art incorporated into the church was designed and executed by a Polish artist, Igor Mitoraj, and is suppose to depict the Risen Lord, (note the slashes in the form of a cross).

The other door, designed by the same artist is a representation of the Annunciation with the figures of the Angel Gabriel and the Virgin.

Another very interesting fact, this church was designed by none other than Michelangelo. After the Sicilian priest had his dream, Pope Pius IV ordered a church be built on this site honoring the virgin, the angels and the christian slaves who perished in the building of these baths. Michelangelo was in the process of designing the church when he died. The church was completed by a pupil of his, Jacopo da Luca, who happened to be the nephew of the priest who had the dream. Talk about six degrees of separation!

The first thing that struck me upon entering the church was the massiveness of the structure, the height and breadth of it, this despite the fact that the floor had apparently been raised during one of its restoration phases. The huge cavernous space gives one an idea of the splendor, the magnificence and the importance of the ancient Roman baths. 

The vestibule was originally the passage hall between the now lost calidarium (hot baths) and the tepidarium (luke-warm baths).

One of the more interesting things to see in this church is the meridian line, built inside the church. Because the ancient baths were traditionally built on a southerly orientation, so as to insure unobstructed sun exposure, it was seen as an ideal place, among other reasons, to have a meridian line here. The reigning pope, Clement XI wanted the line built to check the accuracy of the Georgian calendar.

The line was constructed by Francesco Branchini, a mathematician, historian and philosopher. When I visited, there was someone there with a ruler and other measuring equipment, studying the meridian line and sundial.

On both sides of this meridian line are representations of the Zodiac signs in marble mosaic.

 



Taurus



 

 



Virgo



 

Adding to the interesting character and seemingly scientific bent of mind of this church is the Divine Man, a bronze statue of Galileo Galilei found in the courtyard.

 

 



 

In the Basilica there is also on display, Galileo's Pendulum. Scientific displays are discovered alongside, beautiful, soaring paintings and a modern rendition of St. John the Baptist's martyrdom.

 

 

 

We ended our visit by hearing mass celebrated at the main altar.

 



 

At the same time, a visiting high school choir from the United States was practicing for their concert that night in one of the side chapels, under the painting of the Assumption of Our Lady.